"You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fulness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
(Psalms 16:11)

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Bay of Fundy Bore Tide

There are several places along the Bay of Fundy where you can watch the daily bore tides. We were in Moncton, New Brunswick along the Petitcodlac River. The river's name means "bend like a bow." The bore tide comes around the bend from this direction.

The river flows from this direction. When they meet, the swift tide pushes the river back, creating the bore tide.Over a period of about two hours the river rises to the top of its banks at high tide. It is the largest bore tide in the world.

There is a boardwalk trail all along the river in Moncton.

This high water mark occurred in 1869 during a tropical storm surge. The marker is in Bore Park in downtown Moncton.

A statue in Bore Park.

Geese waiting for the bore tide atop the river bank.

A viewing stadium in Bore Park.

We met a local man who told us this was the best place to watch…a little farther downstream from the park, and he was right. He also told us that there might be a surfer riding the tide today. He was right about that too.

Surfer paddling out to meet the bore tide. He has to paddle out on his surfboard, because it is too dangerous to stand up here…the bottom is like quicksand. If he got stuck, the swiftly rising tide could swallow him before anyone could come to the rescue.

Back up the river the geese decided to cross to the other side.

It was Nan who noticed the first sign of the tide coming. The water below us started to quiver strangely.

The local man says it's coming. You can see the little wave hitting the opposite bank…white spot in the middle of this picture. He was right again.

And here it comes around the bend! The surfer waits for his chance.

And he's up!

And down...

Coming close to our viewing spot.

Right below us.

Beyond us now, and the surfer starts paddling for shore.

As it disappears around the next bend it must stir up the bottom of the river.